What We Know
Okay, let’s do this one last time, yeah? For real this time. This is it. At least, I think this is it, because Doxa has yet another new watch (actually, a whole collection of ’em), and it’s one a lot of people have been asking for. But before we get to that, a quick recap, because this year, Doxa has dropped (by my count and in rough order): the oversized Sub 750T, the new Sub 200 T.Graph II, the limited edition Sub 300 Ti5 Clive Cussler, a LE Sub 200 T.Graph II with Topper, a Sub Army 200T (in collaboration with Hodinkee), and — just over a week ago — the very cool Doxa Sub 300 Beta “Frogger” in collaboration with San Diego’s Belmont Watches.
So, it’s been a big year, and now they’re rounding out the summer with a hell of a line expansion with the — now standard production — Doxa Sub 300 Ti5. Basically, this new watch takes the Sub 300 Ti5 Clive Cussler released earlier in the summer and strips out all the ‘Cussler-y’ details. The result is… well, it’s basically a Sub 300 in titanium, something I’ve heard plenty of Doxa fans clamoring for since the Cussler edition launched earlier this summer.
Unlike the Cussler model (which was limited to just 300 pieces) and played just a little bit more with the format of the Sub 300, this new Sub 300 Ti5 pretty much follows the recipe to the letter. Even the dimensions are identical to the standard steel Sub 300, measuring 42.5mm across, 13.4mm thick, and 45mm lug-to-lug (in other words, perfect). The dial and bezel are exactly as you’d expect from a Sub 300, and the bezel’s outer ring uses feet rather than meters, more in keeping with the 50th-anniversary launch of the Sub 300 than with the production model available today.
For now, the Sub 300 Ti5 is available in some, though not all, of the classic Doxa colorways, namely “Professional” (orange), “Sharkhunter” (black), and “Caribbean” (navy blue). The watch also comes in two other colorways: the fully luminous “Whitepearl” white dial, which I would increasingly consider a modern Doxa classic, and “Redcoral,” a deep burgundy color that, as far as I’m aware, has only ever made it into the Doxa line in the DLC-coated Sub 200 II, and which, in my opinion, works very nicely here. Each comes on a color-matched Tropic-style Rubber Dive flex strap with a grade 5 titanium pin buckle.
The Doxa Sub 300 Ti5 is priced at $3,190 with Professional, Sharkhunter, Caribbean, and Redcoral dials, and $3,290 for the fully luminous Whitepearl dial.
What We Think
Honestly, once the Cussler edition watch launched earlier this summer, it was only a matter of time before we got this one. There’s just no way Doxa was gonna do all the work to develop a titanium Sub 300 case and not put it into their standard line. And while I’m sure some will raise the surprisingly quick turnaround between the LE’s launch and the introduction of this new watch, I don’t think this one steps on the toes of the Cussler edition in any real way.
Besides, this watch is very cool and a great addition to Doxa’s catalog. It’s not cheap, certainly, and that will be an issue for some, but I also don’t think a $300 premium for titanium is out of line for a brand like Doxa. Also, for what it’s worth, the base price comes in $200 below the ask for the Cussler LE, so that’s something.
One last difference between this watch and the steel Sub 300 is that the titanium watch is available only on a pin-buckle, color-matched, tropic-style strap. This was also true of the Cussler edition of the watch, and I love it. Seriously, in my book, it’s a huge improvement over either the fitted rubber or the beads-of-rice bracelet, and I’d love to see them roll this new strap out as an option across the entire line.
The Basics
Brand: Doxa
Model: Sub 300 Ti5
Reference Number: Orange Professional, reference 823.50.351.21; Black Sharkhunter, reference 823.50.101.20; Blue Caribbean, reference 823.50.201.32; Redcoral, reference 823.50.161.20; Whitepearl with black Dive Flex strap, reference 823.50.011.20; Whitepearl with white Dive Flex strap, reference 823.50.011.23
Diameter: 42.5mm
Thickness: 13.4mm
Lug-to-lug: 45mm
Case Material: Grade 5 Titanium
Dial Color: Orange, Black, Navy Blue, Red, or Luminous White
Indexes: Painted and lumed
Lume: Lumed hands, markers, and bezel pip. Whitepearl also has a fully luminous dial.
Water Resistance: 300 meters
Strap/Bracelet: Color-matched or black Tropic-style Dive Flex rubber strap with grade 5 titanium pin buckle.
The Movement
Caliber: Sellita SW200-1
Functions: Hours, Minutes, Seconds, Date.
Power Reserve: 38 Hours
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 vph
Jewels: 26
Chronometer Certified: Yes
Pricing & Availability
Price: $3,190 ($3,290 for Whitepearl)
Availability: Now
Limited Edition: No
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